Presently, the public at large is offered a variety of entertainment selections. As competition between different multimedia presentations increases users may become overwhelmed with choices. While users are typically offered diverse multimedia choices, these selections in some instances may conflict with other multimedia presentations that the user may wish to experience. Other drawbacks to present multimedia presentations include conflicts between the user's schedule and the broadcast of a multimedia presentation and conflicts between members of groups of users.
In order to allow users to optimize their options various technologies have been developed to enable the user some limited flexibility as to which multimedia presentation they will experience. In particular the field of broadcast multimedia presentations includes video cassette recorders (VCR). VCRs allow a user the opportunity to tape a broadcast for replay at a later time. The VCR user is limited to certain primitive data management techniques. VCR data management techniques limit the VCR user to viewing or recording a single broadcast or requires the user to employ multiple VCRs to achieve additional functionality. A VCR user is limited to playing an event, rewinding, fast forwarding, and pausing the recorded event.
A personal video recorder (PVR) offers increased features over that of VCRs such as allowing a user the opportunity to record and view simultaneously. The user of a PVR may even be able to view a delayed presentation of an event being currently recorded, as well as previously recorded events. While the PVR allows additional features in comparison to the VCR, the PVR fails to provide additional features to enhance the user's overall experience.
Drawbacks to current PVRs include limitations on how the user may experience multimedia presentations. While PVRs offer advantages over VCR technology, drawbacks to current PVRs may impact consumer choices. Consumers typically are offered a range of features, which may enhance a user's overall viewing experience. Compelling functional characteristics may add to a user's overall satisfaction with a PVR and ultimately, additional functionality may cause a consumer to purchase one PVR over that of a competing PVR manufacturer or may act as an incentive for a consumer to purchase a higher priced PVR to obtain additional functionality.
Presently, PVRs are limited to recording a multimedia broadcast in its entirety for replay at a later time or for delayed broadcast. Delayed broadcast may include beginning to record a broadcast event and while the event is occurring starting the event for the PVR user. When a current PVR is utilized in the delayed broadcast manner the user may be limited to performing a single time shift, such as the time shift between recording and display, thus a user may not be able to scroll through the stored portion of the event without disturbing the recording of the event.
Current PVRs fail to offer effective data management. Thus, should a current PVR be programmed to store a particular multimedia broadcast, which exceeds available storage capacity this may cause the PVR to record over a previously stored multimedia broadcast that the user may wish to retain. Difficulties in managing data may result in user frustration and dissatisfaction.
An additional disadvantage of current PVRs is the deactivation during a pause, such a one initiated by a user. During a pause while utilizing a current PVR the multimedia presentation output is halted resulting in no new media being presented to the user. This may not allow the user the flexibility that they desire.
Furthermore, PVRs currently do not allow a user to vary the multimedia experience. For example a user may wish to only to be presented with the audio portion of the media broadcast, be presented with audio from one broadcast while viewing a second broadcast or view a picture-in-picture PIP
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a method and system for providing an enhanced personal video recorder experience. The enhanced personal video recorder system and method may be capable of providing additional functionality thereby allowing a user additional options heretofore unavailable with current PVR systems.